Protected species allegedly killed on Mid North property

On Wednesday, Reilly Isabella Nutt of Orroroo, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates Court where it was alleged she took, by killing, 10 wedge-tailed eagles on property located at Minvalara in April, 2023.

The property is owned by the defendant's father and it is alleged that the defendant had regularly driven across the property and other farming land to check sheep while lambing, which had started in early April.

On April 18, according to the prosecution, Birdlife Australia Raptor Group state coordinator Ian Falkenberg was following the satellite tracking route of a tagged wedge-tailed eagle.

While tracking the bird, Mr Falkenberg allegedly heard a series of gunshots.

He walked to the top of a ridge, and using a high-powered camera as binoculars, looked in the direction of the gunshots.

Approximately one kilometre away, Mr Falkenberg allegedly saw the defendant exit a tray top ute and walk towards a wedge-tailed eagle standing on the ground.

He heard a loud bang as the defendant allegedly raised a rifle and shot the eagle, before he claims to have observed the defendant retrieve wedge-tailed eagle carcasses and place them on the ute tray top with other eagle carcasses already on the ute tray top.

Mr Falkenberg took a series of photographs which the prosecution claims show the defendant retrieving wedge-tailed eagle carcasses and reported his observations to the Department for Environment and Water.

On April 27, DEW officers, along with SA Police officers, entered and searched the property, where carcasses of 13 wedge-tailed eagles were found in the vicinity of where Mr Falkenberg had observed the shooting.

The carcasses were located at the base of a tree, concealed by live bushes and shrubs and an upturned bush and were in various states of decomposition.

The Crown case is that when Ms Nutt was interviewed, she admitted to shooting about 10 wedge-tailed eagles on April 18 and during the previous week.

The defendant allegedly made admissions and statements to the effect that she had shot about 10 wedge-tailed eagles, been shooting wedge-tailed eagles for about a week, since lambing had started and had placed the eagles she had shot at the site where the 13 wedge-tailed eagle carcasses had been found by DEW and SAPOL officers.

It is also claimed that Ms Nutt admitted she was the person depicted in the photographs taken by Mr Falkenberg and she had shot the wedge-tailed eagles using one of her father's firearms, without his knowledge.

Wedge-tailed eagles are fully protected by the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, and it is illegal to kill, trap or poison them.

Doing so carries a maximum penalty of $2500 or imprisonment for six months.

The case was adjourned and Ms Nutt will appear at Peterborough Magistrates Court in July.